Vanessa Taylor, a sassy blue haired, tattooed cosmetologist with a mouth of a sailor was born and raised in Ohio. One summer while she was visiting her sick father, her connecting flight ends in the city getting shut down, leaving her stranded in th...
"Maybe we should find a sex shop, next." Kelly shares a cheeky smirk with me while Daryl's face becomes a bright red. He brings his hands up, hiding. Too late, we already saw it.
It was my turn to blush remembering how he found me when The Governor had kidnapped me. I wince at the memory. I wasn't exactly feeling the need to cover up; I was more worried about making it out alive.
"I have one more stop before I head back home. You can come with me if you want, or I can meet you back at the prison." I offer, wanting desperately to change the subject.
"Where?" Kelly asks as he starts the truck. "The sex shop?" He giggles, "when was the last time you got laid anyway?"
"You." I run my hand through my hair, not wanting to go down memory lane. Kelly would bring that up in the worst possible moment.
"That's -" Daryl runs his hands along his face, not wanting to listen to this. "Wait, over two years ago?! No wonder ya mean."
He did the math? I whirl on him, cocking my head. "Maybe, what's your excuse?"
He sputters at my sudden attention, "I -"
"I think y'all need to fix that." Kelly interrupts.
We both spin around, balking at Kelly, "man, shut the fuck up!"
Shaking my head, "anyway, I'm going to visit an old friend we buried a long time ago." I kick my feet over, turning my bike on. Daryl's motorcycle purrs a second later. I pull out heading out to a familiar destination, with my boys behind me.
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I carefully pull into the farm, keeping my eye out for any stragglers from the night we got forced out. Upon my inspection, it's clear. I bring my bike to it's old spot. I get off, not waiting for Daryl or Kelly. I find Dale and Sophia's grave. Untying the bag, I place a black candle on both sites, lighting both of them.
"Mother Goddess, I release myself from those who left this plane, and let them walk the blessed gardens of summer land." I pray, on my knees. First at Dale's grave, then again at Sophias. When I'm done, I place the coins as an offering for Hades.
While the candles burn, I return to Dale. "I miss you, old man. I hope I'm making you proud." I wipe a stray tear that starts to fall.
"He asked me what my plans with ya were." Daryl's voice comes from behind me.
I laugh, "what did you say?"
"'I don't know.' He always saw shit no one else seen." He wraps his arms around my shoulders, bringing me closer.
Andrea's last words to Daryl and I replay in my head ,"you were made for each other." My heart sinks further, remembering another fallen friend.
"I barely considered you a friend, you know." I choke, "yet somehow, I trusted you almost as much as I trusted Dale."
"I know. I think he saw ya as a daughter. Andrea, too. Hershel sees ya as one of his girls now." He continues at my silence, "he'd be proud. Ya came a long way. I'm proud."
